Bicycle



(No Model.)

J. JETT.

BIGYGLB.

Patented J'ul me mams FE1-zus 06 mom-uma, wAsmNcmN, n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IOIIN JETT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,172, dated July 29, 1890. Application iled October 2'7, 1888. Serial No. 289,339. (No model.)

- duced and the machine `more easily constructed; second, to admit of the foot-levers to swing through a greaterl arc; third, an improved arrangement of the wheel, axle, and pulley whereby ball-bearings are conveniently applied; fourth, an improved ball-bearing especially suitable for this class of maehines and to more thoroughly exclude the dust; fifth, to provide a simple and noiseless clutch; sixth, a foot-rest by which the jar is reduced; seventh, to simplify the construction of the han die-bar. I obtain these obj ects by the mechanism illustrated in the aecompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the machine, the saddle being shown in section and the pedal removed from the foot-levers. Fig. 2 is a top view of the lower spring with the foot-levers and adjoining parts. Fig. is a top view of the upper spring. Fig. l is a longitudinal section of part of the rear axle, hub, and spring-pulley and adjoining parts. Fig. 5 is in part a cross-section ot Fig. it on the line l l, showing the clutch,and in part a cross-section of Fig. 4E on the line 2 2, showing the coiled spring. Fig. G is a longitudinal section of part of the cross-rod on which the foot-levers work.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The frame is built on the same principle as in my previous invention. In this ease the lower spring s is forked, so as to pass on each side of the rear wheel. A top view of this spring is shown in Fig. The upper spring S', a top view of which is shown in Fig. 3, is split a short distance at its middle and spread so as to admit the saddle-post h, and also the bolts which hold the spring to the upright tube at the middle of the machine. This tube is in two sections. The lower section 7i acts as a hanger to support the foot-levers. It has a solid flange at its upper end, a top view of which is shown at 7L, Fig. 2. It is held by bolts to a similar fiange at the lower end of the tube h', and the lower spring is held rigidly between these iianges. The tube 7L has a swell forged at its upper end, to hold the setscrew by which the saddle-post is adjusted, and also has a flange at this end which is oblong when viewed from above, and is indicated by the dotted line at the middle of Fig. 3, which is a top view of the upper spring at' this ange. The front ends ot the springs are pivoted to the hinge g on the steeringhead g, and the rear ends are pivoted to the brace b, which is a bent tube passing over the rear wheel and resting on the axle. This brace is provided with lugs b' at its upper part, which support the bolt 0n which the end of the upper springs rests.

The lower ends of the brace are made iiat,

`and the manner of attaching the springs is plainly shown in Figs. l and 2. It will be seen that the upright tube has many advantages over the arrangement described in my previous invention by which the lower and upper springs are held together at the middle of the machine.

In this machine a shorter frame is used, and the length of the foot-levers t is reduced in proportion and must swing through a greater arc in order to have the required length of stroke. This makes it necessary to have notches on the arm t to prevent the griplever r from slipping. This lever I have improved by placing a shoulder at the right of its upper end, which forms the segment of a pulley and prevents the chain or strap t' from swinging too near the fulerum of the griplever when the arm swings forward.

The arrangement to limit the movement of the foot-levers is held between the flanges with the lower spring, and may extend to the rear with said spring, as shown in Fig. l, and thereby build the rear part of the lower spring the strongest, which is preferable. The front end of this piece is split in four parts, which IOO are bent outward. (See Fig. 2*.) The upper pieces P limit the upward movement of the foot-levers, and the lower pieces P', which are bent downward as well as outward, provided with a hook, which engages a shank if at the upper end of the arm t', and extends inward at right angles to said arm, (see Fig. 2,) and thus the downward movement of the footlevers is limited.

A sprocket-wheel and endless chain may be used totransmit the power to the drivewheel; but I provide an improved arrangement, which issimilar in appearance to theV machine known as the Star bicycle, which has a fixed axle, and the wheel and springpulley each run loosely on the same.

An important' feature of my invention is to have the axle a (see Fig. 4)' turn with the hub of the wheel, and they may be in one piece, and have the spring-pulley i." to turn loosely on said axle between the hub and the frame, and have the spring-retaining collet b" fixed to the frame or brace b, and not in contact with the axle or spring-pulley.

I am aware of the patentto NV. S. Kelley, July 7, 1885, No. 321,932, which claims Ya spring-retaining collet attached to the frame independent of the axle, which describes and shows a spring-retaining collet immediately Surrounding the axle and in contact with it,

- but which is'not applicable to my invention,

which has a rotating axle, and the collet must not be in contact with the axle or springpulley, which makes it easily distinguished from the aforesaid patent. Y

The collet may be a straight tube and screws into the frame near the bearing, orY

may be anged and held by bolts; but I prefer to have it enlarged at the end and screw onto the projecting part of the frame surrounding the bearing, as shown in Fig. ft. Its

outer edge is milled to facilitate its manipu lation. A

The above arrangement makes it possible to employ ball-bearings, and some of the bearings now in use can be applied; but I provide a hollow axle a, Fig. 4, which is split in a number of places at its end and threaded externallyV to receive the disks a and a, which, with the frame that surrounds them, are grooved to receive the balls. The end of the axle is also threaded internally to receive the bevel screw-tap a", which has a square socket at its outside by which it is screwed into the end of the axle, which is Athereby spread with great force, and thus prevents the disk a from working loose. The dust-cap b is attached to the frame in the same manner as the collet previously described, and is opposite thereto, and Vis extended at right angles to form a step for mounting the machine, as is shown in-Fig. 4. It will be noticed that the brace Z) is a part of A the frame, and I have referred to it by that name,` so that it can be more easily compared with similar inventions. Fig. 7 shows the manner of applying this bearingto the crossrod c, on which the foot-lever works, which will be easily understood by com paring it to the ball-bearing just described. It may also similarly be applied to pedals, and has the advantage of being more convenient to exclude the dust than heretofore.

Figs. 4 and 5 fully illustrate my improved clutch. The pawl Zwith the pawl-spring Z are pivoted to the spring-pulley by the bolt Z. The ring Z containing the ratchet-teeth is shown in cross-section in Fig. 4. The outer edge is recessed and threaded to receive the rim on the hub, which makes the outer surface even'. Opposite the recess, on theinside,

it is made vsmooth and even with the ends of4 It will be seen that when the spring-pul- Y ley is turned backward the pawl will be thrown out of engagement and held so by the friction of the pawl-spring sliding on the ratchet-ring, and when the pulley is turned forward the friction on the pawl-spring is rel versed, and the pawl is immediately thrown into engagement. The movement of the pawl is limited by the stud or screw CZ, which is attached to thc web of the pulley, and may be Vsurrounded by disks of leather to prevent noise. At the opposite end ofthe spring-pulley from the clutch is the coiled spring il, Figs. e and 5. Its outer end is attached to the rim of the pulley by the stud c and its inner coil is perforated with holes a short distance apart, and the cover f" is forced into the end of the pulley, and may be held by screws. The spring-retaining collet before described is next introduced into the coiled spring. Itis provided with a stud d', Fig. 5, which the spring is capable of moving over when the pulley is turned backward; but when the pulley is turned forward the spring will become engaged on the stud which passes through one of theholes with which the inner coil of the spring is provided. By this arrangement the tension of the spring can be properly adj usted. The wheel is now ready to be placed in the frame. The brace b is sprung, so as to IOO IIO

pass over the ends of the axle before it is atf a short distance from the fork.

The foot-rest is shown in Fig. I. To the front fork is attached the lug f, which may be substituted by Va screw-clip passing' around the fork, to which is attached the bent spring To the upper end of this spring is attached the crosspiece f", which is slightly curved in crosssection, as is shown, and is turned up at its ends to retain the foot in its proper place. This arrangement serves the double purpose of relieving the rider and also the wheel from the heavy shocks in coasting over rough roads. The handle-bar is similar to my previous invention, in being a flat spring tapering toward the handle. In this case the straight bar is first bent edgewise at its middle, at which place it forms a slight angle. This angle is then twisted or bent to a vertical position and clamped t0 a short tube, which is adjustable to the steering-head, as shown in Fig. l. It has the advantage of being lighter and more easily constructed than that of my previous invention. K

The upper end of the steering-head g is oval in cross-section, with its greater diameter fore and aft, and is split a short distance to admit of being compressed, and provided with a scrcwclip n', the rear part of which receives the upper end of the hinge g. This clip can be adjusted to accommodate the wear of the hinge, and also serves to adjust the handle-bar.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bicycle having a lower spring s, which is forked so as to pass on each side of the rear wheel, and having the upper spring s', which is split a short distance at its middle and spread to admit the saddle-post and also the bolts by which it is held to the upright tube at the middle of the machine, in which said tube is in two sections, provided with flanges by which they are held together by bolts, in which the lower spring is held rigidly between said flanges, and having the front ends of said springs pivoted to the hinge g on the steering-head, andhaviug the rear ends of said springs pivoted to the brace l), which passes over the rear wheel and rest-s on the axle, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the foot-lever t with the arm t', on which slides the gripping device consisting of a strap 0^, passing around the aforesaid arm and attached tothe griplever r', which has a proj ection just below its fulcrum which comes in contact with said arm and engages notches therein, and having a handle 0" at one end of the grip-lever and having the other end arranged for the strap attach ment, and provided with a shoulder to prevent the chain or strap from swinging too near the fulcrum of the grip-lever when the arm is pressed forward, substantially as and for the purpose stated.

3. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, the rotating wheel and axle a, having the rotating pulley 1i to run loosely thereon, and having' the coiled spring i attached to said pulley and supported bythe spring-retaining collet b", which is fastened to the frame and surrounds the axle, though not in contact with it, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

L. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, the rotating axle having the rotating pulley to run loosely thereon, and having the intermediate clutch therewith,andprovided with a ball-bearing between the axle and frame, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, the ball-bearing having a hollow axle a, which is split in a number of places at its end and threaded externally to receive the disks a and a, which, with the frame that surrounds them, are grooved to receive the balls, as shown, and having the end of the axle threaded internally to receive the bevel screw-tap d", by which the end of the axle is spread to prevent the aforesaid disks from working loose, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, in a bearing of the class described provided with a dust-cap b, attached to the frame a-nd surrounding the end of the axle and extended at right angles to form a step for mounting the machine, substantially as described, and for the purpose setforth.

7. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, a clutch mechanism having a pawl Z, attached to one of the moving parts and provided with a pawl-spring Z', which presses against the other moving part containing the ratchet-teeth at a point opposite the fulcrum of the pawl, whereby the pawl is held out of engagement when one of the parts is moving backward, and thrown into engagement when it is moved forward, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a bicycle, the springretaining collet attached to the frame, and surrounding the axle though not in contact with it, substantially as and for the purpose stated.

9. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, a foot-rest having the bent spring f, attached to the front fork in the manner described, and attached to the cross-piece f, which supports the foot free from the jar of the wheel in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

IO. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, the handle-bar n, which is a flat spring bent edgewise, so as to form an angle at its middle, where it is twisted or bent to a verticalposition, as shown, and clamped to the short tube,which is adjustable to the steeringhead, as described, and for the purpose stated.

l1. In combination with a bicycle or tricycle, the steering head g', provided with a IIO screw-clip n', which receives the upper end the ends of the ratchet-teeth, so that the of the hinge g, to which it can be adjusted, pam-spring' l may press against the smooth ro in which the said screw-c1ip also serves to adpart of the ratchet-ring and thereby nc tuate justthehandIe-barubStantiallyasdescribed, the pmvl, as shown and described.

5 and for the purpose set forth. y JOHN J ETT.

12. The ratchet-ring2,havingthe ratchet- Ttnessess teeth to occupy part of its inner side, the H. A. COBB,

other part being made smooth and even with D. J. OBRIEN. 

